# Integrating Transcriptomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics to Investigate the Mechanism of Fetal Placental Overgrowth in Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Cattle

## TL;DR

This study uses multi-omics to explore why cloned cattle have enlarged placentas, identifying key metabolic and protein pathways involved.

## Contribution

The study integrates transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics to reveal novel regulatory mechanisms of placental overgrowth in SCNT cattle.

## Key findings

- Abnormalities in protein digestion, glycolysis, and lipid metabolism were observed in SCNT cattle placentas.
- Choline metabolism and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis were identified as critical pathways in placental hypertrophy.
- Altered gene, protein, and metabolite expressions affect growth hormone function and energy metabolism in SCNT placentas.

## Abstract

A major factor limiting the development of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology is the low success rate of pregnancy, mainly due to placental abnormalities disrupting the maternal-fetal balance during pregnancy. Although there has been some progress in research on the abnormal enlargement of cloned bovine placenta, there are still few reports on the direct regulatory mechanisms of enlarged cloned bovine placenta tissue. In this study, we conducted sequencing and analysis of transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics of placental tissues from SCNT cattle (n = 3) and control (CON) cattle (n = 3). The omics analysis results indicate abnormalities in biological functions such as protein digestion and absorption, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, the regulation of lipid breakdown, as well as glycerolipid metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism in the placenta of SCNT cattle. Integrating these analyses highlights critical metabolic pathways affecting SCNT cattle placenta, including choline metabolism and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. These findings suggest that aberrant expressions of genes, proteins, and metabolites in SCNT placentas affect key pathways in protein digestion, growth hormone function, and energy metabolism. Our results suggest that abnormal protein synthesis, growth hormone function, and energy metabolism in SCNT bovine placental tissues contribute to placental hypertrophy. These findings offer valuable insights for further investigation into the mechanisms underlying SCNT bovine placental abnormalities.